How Can We Help Patients and Their Families?

There are nine Social Workers available to Fox Chase Cancer Center patients and their families. Social Workers have an “MSW” (Master of Social Work) degree, which required them to complete two years of a graduate program in Social Work, after completing their college studies.

Life can change in a second
Social Workers are here to help

Oncology Social Workers are trained in how to help people deal with the many life changes that can result from having a chronic disease like cancer. Our Social Work team can help you with:

Distress in response to diagnosis and treatment

Difficulty in talking together as a family about how to deal with cancer

Counseling for you, your family and/or caregivers

Talking to children about a parent’s cancer

Impact of cancer on work, school, and finances

Managing the physical and emotional side effects of treatment such as hair loss, fatigue, depression, anxiety, etc.

Coping with advanced cancer, facing uncertainty, survivorship issues

Worsening prognosis and end of life discussions

Communicating with doctors, nurses and other medical care providers

Helping with advance health care directives such as a living will and medical power of attorney

Help with discharge planning if you are hospitalized

Navigating the healthcare system

Medication assistance programs

Determining if a support group would be helpful to you or your family

Finding supportive resources in your local community

Finding transportation to and from the hospital for treatment

Social Work services are free and confidential. Please call Social Work Services at 215-728-2668 for assistance and/or information.

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents.